SPELLJAMMER SHIPS
Flying Pyramid
The Flying Pyramid, also known as a pyramid ship, is a spelljamming ship built by humans and used by the undead.
Description
A favorite spacebar tale is the ship-raiding of the Dark Pharaoh, an undead mummy of great powers who preys upon the living to gain more undead servitors. The Pharaoh is said to plan a kingdom of undeath in the stars, and seeks to bring more ships under his sway, as well as priests of Set to serve him as agents amongst the living. So much is believable, but most scoff when they hear that the Pharaoh's ship is said to be a stone pyramid. Wiser spacefarers know that the tale is no myth, and that the flying pyramid was once a common ship in space. All flying pyramids are ancient ships, constructed by a now-vanished human culture which followed the Egyptian pantheon. Some of these ships were built as temples, but most were intended as grand funerary barges which would take a pharaoh or a high priest to the afterlife, waited on by a host of servants who volunteered to follow their master into death. The living servants would ritualistically kill themselves by manning the ship's helm one by one while travelling deep into the phlogiston. By the time all of the servants were dead, the flying pyramid would be drifting far from known spacelanes, where the pharaoh or high priest could enjoy eternity without having to worry about graverobbers. At least, that was the idea. Many of those buried in these grand tombs became undead (typically mummies of some variety, but wights and priestly liches have also been encountered), usually animating their dead servants so that they could continue to serve. Without any living creatures to serve as fuel, these ships drifted until found by unlucky spacefarers, at which point the undead would attack the living, capturing enough of the living to take the ship back to spacelanes where the pyramid could continue to capture more fuel. It should be noted that not all of these funerary barges became host to the undead, as a few have been encountered drifting with none aboard but the truly dead. These few ships have been veritable treasure troves.
Crew
The crew sizes given are based on M-sized air-breathing creatures. Undead crews usually began as crews of approximately 90, but such a crew tends to grow after each successful raid. A practical maximum for an undead crew is about 360, but some flying pyramids can be found with even more lesser undead than this, often with many hanging on to the outside of the pyramid, waiting for a ship to get close enough for them to leap onto its deck. The common crewmen of an undead ship are usually skeletons, but other possibilities include heucuva, crypt servants, or low-powered mummies.
Ship Uses
Undead Raider:
Most flying pyramids rove through space as raiders, seeking both to increase the wealth of their masters, and to increase the size of their undead crews. The unusual appearance of these very rare ships, combined with the fact that when crewed by undead they tend to appear as derelicts, often entices curious spacers to investigate, allowing the concealed weapons of the pyramid to attack with surprise. Most undead raiders will lurk amongst asteroids and space debris, motionless as if derelict. Some undead intentionally allow mosses to grow on the exterior of the ship (which incidentally helps to keep the ancient stonework from falling apart), and allow debris to accumulate on the ship to enhance the appearance of abandonment. Undead crews will often cannibalize the insides of their vessels to load jettisons, sometimes even to the point of causing the ship to collapse into a field of debris.
Defense Bases:
Salvaged pyramids are typically used as defensive ships, orbiting space bases or protecting worlds. These ships are often armed with a combination of ballistas, catapults, and greek fire projectors. Pyramids used in this capacity are little more than semi-mobile weapon platforms.
Command Ship:
Not all salvaged pyramids are used as defense bases. Some have been purchased by navies for use as heavily protected, but clumsy, command ships. These ships will typically travel with a small fleet of lesser craft, and the flat surface of the underside will usually serve as a landing pad for small craft such as blades, flitters, or wreckboats.
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EYE TYRANT SHIP
Description
Tyrant Ships are the most diverse class of ships in fantasy space. They can look like walnut shells, huge eyeballs, shells carried by squid-like tentacles - even huge beholders. The above stats apply to a "typical" Tyrant Ship, but larger or smaller ships are not uncommon. The individuality of the Tyrant Ship reflects the individual nature of the beholder races. While all beholders share the same basic form and abilities, their genetic lines are plastic, such that small regional differences lead to radical differences in appearance. Since each beholder considers its own type to be the racial ideal, and all others to be nothing more than mutants to be eliminated from the gene pool, a similar view is taken in their ship designs. Tyrant Ships are designed to different specifications by the Arcane for each different beholder racial type, although they all share the same basic structure - a concave "shell" indented with small pockets to serve as resting places for individual beholders with their tentacles down. At the centre of the bowl rests the ship's Hive Mother, surrounded by a number of orbi. Tyrant Ships usually lack conventional weapons, but make up for it with one of the most terrifying weapons in space: the combined force of a large number of beholders in a single place. A "beholder circuit" of common beholders and a queen can provide a beam of magical energy about 400 yards (1 hex) long and up to 100 yards across at the base. This beam can have a number of different effects, based on a beholder's natural magical ability: Charm Person - One target per common beholder in the circuit. Targets do not need to be grouped together, although all must be within the beam's area of effect. Any one target need only save once per round this effect is used. Charm Monster - As Charm Person. Sleep - For each common beholder in the circuit, a target may be affected. The intensity of the magical sleep is not increased, nor may one target be affected by multiple sleep attacks in one round. Telekinesis - Add 250 lbs. to the normal capacity for every additional common beholder in the circuit. Flesh to Stone - One target for each common beholder in the circuit. All targets must be within a 10' radius. Disintegrate - Each common beholder in the circuit after the first increases the area of effect as if an additional Disintegrate was cast. Fear - One target can be affected for each common beholder in the circuit. These targets can be anywhere within the beam's area of effect, and can be chosen by the individual beholders, although a target cannot be required to make more than one save per round. Slow - One target can be affected for every common beholder in the circuit. If the spelljammer is exposed to the beam and affected, the SR of the ship will be reduced. Cause Serious Wounds - One target can be affected for each common beholder in the circuit. Multiple attacks can be made on the same target in the same round. Death Ray - One target can be affected for every common beholder in the circuit, but all such targets must be within a 10' radius. Anti-Magic Ray - The most deadly of the beholders' arsenal of attacks in space, this ray affects everything within the target area. Should the ship's helm be exposed (upper decks will provide sufficient cover to prevent this, but the Disintegrate power may be used first to remove this cover) and affected it will shut down, rendering the ship immobile. The key to dealing with aggressive Tyrant Ships is to stay out of range of their magical attacks. Long-range attacks against the ships work best, but even causing a Tyrant Ship to break up has its own problems, since the individual beholders, even without the magic in the hull of the ship which allows them to use a circuit, are highly dangerous, and will swarm an attacking ship if possible, either to destroy it or capture it as a temporary home until they can get a more appropriate ship.
Crew
The uncontested ruler of a Tyrant Ship is the single hive mother which will be on board, focusing the common beholders in a circuit, and commanding the orbi who power the ship. All of the ship's energies pass through the massive central eye of the queen. The bulk of the crew of a Tyrant Ship is made up of common beholders, but 1-6 orbi will also be carried to provide motive force. The orbi actually provide this force by channelling the power of the common beholders. As long as at least one common beholder is in the circuit, each orbus provides 1 SR to the ship. In some cases various varieties of beholder abominations will also be carried aboard a Tyrant Ship, however this is usually only done when the ship is a part of an invasion force, in which case the abominations will serve as ground troops once the ship arrives at its destination. Since abominations cannot become a part of a beholder circuit, they are considered a liability in space combat, since they displace more useful common beholders and orbi.
Ship Uses
Purification:
The beholder nations exist for only one reason: the purification of their race of the scum (i.e. all beholders who differ from themselves in any respect). All other activities - including trading, raiding, piracy and the like - are secondary to this basic goal, and are only pursued if they will somehow advance the goal of purification. The fact that beholders would rather fight amongst themselves than fight the rest of the universe is something that other races are grateful for, although it does give some sages cause to worry.
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NAUTILOID
The Nautiloid is a spelljamming ship built and used by Illithids ( Mindflayers ).
Description
The Nautiloid is the standard ship of the line of the various Illithid nations, and reflects the nature of the race. Its coiled shell provides the comfort of enclosed spaces while protecting the mind flayers from the irritating rays of the sun.
Crew
A standard mind flayer crew numbers 10 Illithids, plus 2-5 additional Mindflayers, depending on the number of series helms in use. The number of helms determines the SR of the ship. A mind flayer ship has a single captain and first officer, with the remainder of the Illithids on board being crew. A Nautiloid will also typically carry between 12 & 20 slaves (thralls), which will usually be humans, dwarves, elves, or other demihumans. The illithids prefer to use expendable slaves to man the weapons, while the Mindflayers remain safely within the ship's armoured shell. The slaves are also used as boarders in combat (backed up by Illithid mind blasts), and as rations on long voyages, so the rate of attrition amongst them is high. The captain oversees the ship from the command station, while the first officer is usually stationed near the catapult on the battle deck. Since the battle deck is the most likely place for any enemy boarders to attack the ship, it is a dangerous location, so the first officer's position is not envied. As a result, the first officer is usually conspiring to take the place of the captain. No position is completely safe on a mind flayer ship, however, since assassination is a relatively common form of illithid advancement.
Ship Uses
Piracy:
Nautiloid pirates are relatively common, and use the configuration and crewing given above. Nautiloid pirates are always looking to replenish their stock of slaves, as well as take anything that isn't nailed down from other ships. Typical tactics involve firing off a salvo from the weapons before ramming and boarding, using mind blasts and other mental powers to incapacitate as many enemy crew as possible, while the slaves fight those enemies who are still able to fight back. Since it is not obvious at first glance if a given Nautiloid is a pirate or a trader, most other races attempt to avoid Nautiloids wherever possible, although in some areas of space they are attacked on sight (most organizations put up with them, however, since Illithid traders often form a significant part of the economy).
Trader:
As the workhorse of the Illithid fleets, many Nautiloids are used as trade ships. Nautiloid traders appear identical to Nautiloid pirates or military ships, but will typically carry a skeleton crew of 2-5 mindflyers to man the helms, the captain and first officer, along with 6-10 slaves (thralls) to help with handling the ship. Nautiloid traders will attempt to avoid a fight where possible.
Military:
Nautiloids also form the backbone of Illithid navies, and, for their size, are one of the best combat vessels in space. Nautiloids serve equally well as pure combat ships, patrol vessels, and as light troop transports. Light combat duty is usually handled by the smaller Illithid Lance. Since the introduction of the pool helm, the larger Dreadnought has begun to replace the Nautiloid as a heavy warship, but the Nautiloid is sure to remain the most common illithid military ship for years.
Other configurations
Added Armour:
Some Illithid captains, obsessed with staying well-protected within their Nautiloid shells, further armour their craft. This will typically take the form of armour plating (often bone or ivory, although metal is not uncommon), as well as thickening the hull and adding extra internal bracing. The result is a ship with AR 2, but with MC E and only 13 tons of cargo space. These ships are often used primarily for combat rather than as traders, and it is not uncommon for them to carry extra weaponry, usually a 4th ballista and a 2nd catapult, further reducing cargo space to 9 tons. These ships are clumsy, but deadly, and should be avoided where possible.
Added Speed:
A common option for Nauiloid traders, this stripped-down version sacrifices armour for extra maneuverability. The MC of the ship is C, but the AR is reduced to 6. These ships will always either have a series helm with 5 Mindflayers, or, where possible, will have a pool helm. In either case, the SR is an impressive 5 which, combined with the relatively good maneuverability, usually allows the ship to evade any enemies. Since these ships will typically operate with a skeleton crew, leaving no spare crew to serve as weaponeers, the weapons are often stripped, with the exception of the jettison, giving the trader extra cargo capacity.
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CUTTLE COMMAND
The Cuttle Command is a spelljamming ship built and used by humans.
Description
Designed by the same Humans who allied with the Illithids to create the Octopus, the Cuttle Command was built using several of the features of the Octopus, but without the direct input of Illithid designers. As the name suggests, the Cuttle Command was intended as a command vessel to coordinate human vessels during the 1st Unhuman War. The Cuttle Command is a ten-story-tall tower in space. It is even taller than it is wide along its hull. The gravity plane is maintained by the 8 large tentacles, 4 of which mount heavy weapons. These tentacles extend far enough horizontally to change the orientation of the gravity plane, however this results in a ship which is less maneuverable than it could be otherwise. These tentacles can be pulled in close to the ship in an emergency, granting the Cuttle Command a maneuverability class of C, however this is rarely done, since the sudden shift in the gravity plane is disastrous for anything and anyone not strapped down. The Cuttle Command was to be the answer to the Elven Armada, proof that an organized human community could create great command ships to destroy the humanoid menace. Unfortunately, the human organization proved to be far less cohesive than that of the elves. In the one large battle of the Unhuman War in which Cuttles participated, they appeared on both sides. Turncoat Mercenaries seized 1 ship and turned it against its builders.
Crew
The Cuttle Command was set up as a command vessel and information center, with the "brains" hidden within the protective shell. The Cuttle Command could support a full fleet command staff, and included about half its number in heavily-armed raiders and defenders. Historically, Cuttle Commands were well-armed with magic as well, typically carrying about a dozen battle mages. The captain of such a ship was usually also a powerful mage rather than a warrior.
Ship Uses
Command Ship:
Only about a score of Cuttle Commands were originally built, and all of these were intended to serve as command ships for human fleets opposing the Goblinkin. These mobile command bases were never really intended to serve directly in combat, but were sufficiently armed to defend themselves if the other ships in the fleet were unable to prevent an enemy from reaching them. While some impetuous captains and admirals piloted their Cuttles directly into enemy formations, the ship was actually designed to coordinate the attacks of other ships from a distance. To this end, a Cuttle Command was typically equipped with magical devices to allow long-range communication with the ships under its command. Some Cuttle Commands are still used in this function today.
Wizard Ship:
The tower-like configuration of the Cuttle Command tends to appeal to human wizards, and the design quickly spread to powerful mages on many worlds through a network of magical contacts. This has resulted in new Cuttle Commands periodically appearing in space as wizards decide to build the craft as experiments. Such ships are usually piloted and captained by the wizard who built them. Since such powerful wizards are often fairly solitary in nature, the rest of the crew is often made up primarily (or even entirely) of magical servants and constructs. These Cuttles are typically used by their masters for research, solitude, and exploration. Because the nature of the crew is so variable, experienced spacers tend to avoid lone Cuttle Commands, since it is impossible to guess what they may be facing if hostilities erupt, and since it is equally impossible to guess what actions may cause hostilities to erupt!
Other Configurations
Alternate Weapons:
The Cuttle Command's precarious gravity plane simultaneously cries out for modification at the same time that it makes such modification extremely difficult. Extensive modifications to the hull or rigging tend to unbalance the ship, with tragic results, unless performed by a master shipwright with an exceptionally skilled team of workers. As a result, the only common modification seen in Cuttle Commands is a change in weaponry. The most common variants are those which carry all ballistas, or all catapults. There was a Cuttle Command armed with multiple greek fire projectors, the Ultimate Victory; however it was destroyed in a mutiny when the mutineers captured a weapons platform and turned it against the ship. Some Cuttle Commands mount additional heavy weapons on the observation platforms on decks one and ten, while one notable Cuttle, the Battle Cry, was also equipped with extra weapons platforms on the 4 lower tentacles, carrying a total of 6 heavy ballistas, 6 heavy catapults, and 2 heavy jettisons. The Battle Cry survived the 1st Unhuman War, and has been successfully used as a mobile defense platform ever since.
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OCTOPUS (ILLITHID/MINDFLAYER)
The Octopus is a spelljamming ship built and used by Humans and Illithids (Mindflayers).
Description
A large ship reminiscent of the earthly cephalopod of the same name, the Octopus moves through the void in a manner similar to those creatures, its bulbous end first, trailing its armed tentacles. Originally designed as a convoy protector during the 1st Unhuman War, its weapon layout earned it the nickname "tailgunner" (although its turreted weapons actually have an excellent all-around field of fire). The Octopus was the result of an unlikely alliance between a group of neutral Humans and Illithids. The resulting hybrid has many Illithid design features, but was intended to be piloted by human mages, and crewed by a combination of Humans and a few Mindflayers.
Crew
During the 1st Unhuman War, the typical crew of an Octopus included 2-3 human spelljamming mages, a single captain (who might be Human or Illithid depending on the individual vessel), and 4-10 officers, about half of whom would usually be mindflayers. The remainder of the crew would be made up of normal humans. The total number of crew aboard such a ship was usually 40-45, which provided enough hands to operate the ship at full capacity, and man all of the weapons, while still providing a squad of marines for protection in the unlikely event that the Octopus was boarded. More frequently, these marines would be used as extra hands to replace any combat losses aboard either the Octopus or the ship(s) it was protecting. In modern times, the crew of an Octopus is typically made up of human pirates, and will usually number around 45-60 reavers. The organization of pirate crews varies greatly, while those vessels in the hands of adventurers have crews which vary even more greatly.
Ship Uses
Convoy Escort:
The Octopus was intended to guard convoys, and some of the ships are still used as escorts to this day in dangerous areas of wildspace. During the 1st Unhuman Wars these ships proved their worth, since they were powerful and versatile. After the defeat of the Goblinkin, the need for large groups of ships travelling in convoys for protection diminished, and the Human/Illithid alliance which created these ships quickly broke up. Most of these ships were retired at that time, and their equipment salvaged for use on smaller, more maneuverable vessels. Recently, however, an enterprising Illithid discovered a forgotten depot with a number of Octopus ships. These ships have been refitted, and sold off to anyone who could afford them, and the ship has begun to ply the spacelanes again. In the current political climate in the crystal spheres, the Octopus is once again useful, and new versions of the ship are being built at several shipyards.
Piracy:
The majority of Octopus ships in modern times seem to have found their way into the hands of pirates. Such vessels tend to pound their targets into submission before boarding, rather than simply grappling at the earliest opportunity, but this may vary based upon the temperament of the pirates. The appeal of this vessel to pirates can be linked to her good cargo capacity, her good maneuverability for a ship her size, and her ability to operate with a low crew, thus allowing most pirates on board to either man the weapons, or serve as marines. Because so many of these rare ships are used by pirates & privateers, a strange Octopus is best approached cautiously.
Other Configurations
Illithid Octopus:
A small number of these craft have been sold to mind flayer houses, and refitted with pool helms. These ships are usually plated with additional armour, increasing AR to 6, but dropping MC to E. Since only the most powerful Illithid Houses can afford the pool helms which these ships use, an Octopus is seen as a status symbol. Unlike the even more expensive Dreadnought, an Illithid Octopus is usually used as a private yacht by very powerful Mindflayers, and as such is usually richly appointed.
Heavy Frigate:
Several of these ships have been modified to serve as heavy frigates. These ships have their bowsprits replaced with piercing rams, and have their hulls thickened and reinforced to withstand the stresses of ramming. The bridge is relocated to the crow's deck, while the former bridge becomes a muster area for boarding troops. In addition, the forward half of the steerage deck is transformed into a gunnery deck, mounting 2-4 medium ballistas behind hatches replacing the fore portals. The Heavy Frigate is AR 6, and has 20-24 tons of cargo, depending on the number of medium ballistas carried.
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DREADNAUGHT (ILLITHID/MINDFLAYER)
The Dreadnought is a spelljamming ship built and used by Illithids (Mindflayers).
Description
The newest and largest ship in the Illithid fleets, the Dreadnought represents the full exploitation of the pool helm's ability to move ships larger than 50 tons. The Dreadnought looks like a great snail shell laid on its side, resting on 2 hulls. The hulls are similar to the forward section of a standard Nautiloid. One of the hulls is known as the Command Hull, and contains the officers' quarters, while the other is the Battle Hull, and is used for ramming (although the command hull could also be used for ramming if needed). Both hulls mount catapults for assaults.
The interior of the shell is a single great vault, similar to the interior of a Nautiloid. Walkways around the perimeter provide access to the ballista stations and the various officers' posts. The vault is lit with red hues and dominated by the glowing pool that provides the motive force for spelljamming. The captain's post is on a catwalk over the pool.
Crew
1 Mindflayer is deadly. 25 of them, the typical number found on a Dreadnought, are a disaster waiting to happen. Fewer Illithids are not uncommon, but more are virtually unheard of. The leaders aboard ship consist of the captain and 4 staff officers. The duties of these staff officers are interchangeable. Each staff officer maintains his own group of supporters amongst the other Mindflayers on the ship. Wise captains play one side off another to retain control of the ship in the face of ambitious staff officers. Despite this political intrigue aboard the Dreadnought, no officer would put the ship at risk merely to advance his own career (at least, not if he could get caught doing it). The remainder of the crew consists of slaves. The bulk of the slaves are Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and other races captured from enemy ships and impressed into service. In addition, each officer and the captain maintains a personal thrall who is treated much as a loyal pet. These personal servants, whose loyalty is ensured psionically, are counted on to pass on any information they get from the other thralls pertaining to the ship's political climate.
Ship Uses
Diplomacy:
Dreadnoughts have only appeared very recently, and have so far been primarily used in large-scale Mindflayer activity, in particular in cases where the Illithids want to drive a particular point home. Usually in such "diplomatic" missions, the Dreadnought will be escorted by 2-4 Nautiloids.
Exploration:
Lone Dreadnoughts are beginning to be used as exploration craft, particularly in areas known to have active spelljamming races/species. A large, powerful ship, manned by Mindflayers, tends to make a strong impression on newcomers to the spelljamming community. Illithids have used these impressive ships to open up very favourable trade agreements with several organizations already.
Other Configurations
Pirate Dreadnought:
The 1st Dreadnoughts encountered in many crystal spheres have not been actual representatives of the Illithids, but various rogues, outlaws, and pirates who can use a great ship in their raids. It seems that these ships were not actually captured from the Mindflayers, but rather the various shipyards building Dreadnoughts had no problem "losing" a ship or 2, which then found its way into other hands. Pirate Dreadnoughts are powered by major helms, and are typically stripped to make them more maneuverable (MC raises to D, while AR drops to 6). They also tend to have additional breaches in the main shell, behind which are mounted up to 6 light ballistas.
Heavy Dreadnought:
This experimental version has its hull both thickened and plated, giving the ship an impressive AR 2, but reducing MC to F. The clumsy ship also boasts significantly upgraded weaponry, carrying 4 heavy catapults and 8 heavy ballistas. The cargo capacity of this dangerous vessel is reduced to a mere 12 tons, making it a short-range combat vessel. The Heavy Dreadnought is intended as a defensive craft for the most important Illithid bases. In such a role, the Heavy Dreadnought would be badly out-maneuvered by most attackers, and would have to be supported by several Nautiloids in order to make it effective, with the smaller craft herding attackers towards the Heavy Dreadnought. The practicality of this ship has yet to be tested in combat.
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SQUID-SHIP
The Squid-Ship is a spelljamming ship built by humans and used by humans and lizardfolk.
Description
The Squid-Ship (officially the Cephalopod-class Brig, although even most scholars refer to it by its more common name) is widely considered to be one of the best human ship designs in space. Many scholars believe that the original design for the Squid Ship was created by revolting prisoners of an Illithid slave-world, who fused together elements of sea ships and Illithid designs. The truth behind this tale is unknown, but it is widely believed. The simplicity of handling which the Squid Ship provides, combined with good armour and weaponry, make it one of the most popular vessels in its size class.
Crew
The Squid-Ship's simple design allows a relatively small crew to handle the rigging and maneuvering. The captain is usually found on the aft deck, where he gets a good view of the rest of the ship. The helm is located below the captain's station, and communication is often achieved with the use of a simple speaking tube. Typical positions aboard a human Squid Ship include a captain, first officer, helmsman, and navigator. A weaponmaster is often included as well, to command the weapon crews. Lizard man crews tend to include a captain and a shaman for a spelljammer, while other positions will be filled as needed by whomever is available.
Ship Uses
Trader:
The bulk of Squid-Ships are free traders, privately owned vessels that travel from planet to planet, speculating on goods in an attempt to gain the greatest profit possible. A trader usually has a core crew of 12-20, although captains often hire extra hands when travelling through areas of space where combat is likely.
Piracy:
Squid-Ships are a favorite choice for reavers, pirates who roam far from any base, looking for easy plunder. The crew of such a ship will usually number 25-35 men, allowing the Squid Ship to lie in wait for prey ships for a long time. Pirate Squid Ships usually carry at least one spell-caster in addition to the helmsman. This extra spell-user is usually of lower level than the helmsman, and will support the crew in battle (often being placed in dangerous situations).
Military:
The simple design and size of the Squid Ship makes it a common choice for human space navies. The Squid Ship is a good, versatile military ship, able to handle patrol, attack, and defensive duties equally well. Military Squid-Ships will often upgrade their ballistas to the heavy variety, and will sometimes carry additional weaponry in the forecastle. When operating close to a base, it is not uncommon for a military Squid-Ship to carry extra marines for use in boarding actions.
Free Adventuring:
The size of the Squid-Ship, along with its ability to land on water, makes it ideal for adventurers exploring newly-discovered worlds (and bringing back the more profitable parts of them). These versions are often modified for better armour, or for more maneuverability, depending on the temperaments of the users.
Other Configurations
Alternate Ram:
Pirates and others preferring boarding actions to ship-to-ship combat often replace the distinctive piercing ram of the Squid-Ship with a grappling ram. These vessels usually carry a full complement of marines.
Lizard Man Incubators:
Prior to the introduction of the Bloatfly, lizard men tribes preferred the Squid-Ship for use as an incubator for their eggs. Many of these Incubators have yet to be replaced by Bloatflies, and can still be found in close orbit around fire bodies to ensure that the carried eggs are properly warmed, producing stronger, more intelligent offspring. These ships have a flooded cargo deck, in which various plants and algae grow, both to replenish the air envelope and to provide the proper environment for the eggs.
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DOLPHIN
The Dolphin, also known as the Battle Dolphin, is a spelljamming ship built by Humans and used by Humans & Astral Elves.
Description
The graceful Battle Dolphin is the latest human spelljamming ship to appear in any quantity in the void. It combines a number of design features that make it a highly versatile ship. The bulk of the Battle Dolphin is enclosed to protect the crew. While this limits the number of weapons emplacements aboard the Dolphin, most crews consider the protection to be worth it. The Battle Dolphin maintains an upper surveillance level which places it above the decks of opposing ships. Most importantly, the galleon-like portion of the upper deck can separate from the main ship and make planetary landings. This Dolphin Shuttle is designed for handling in wildspace; however it appears to be a small groundling ship. This makes it easy to trade with groundlings without attracting undue attention. While the Dolphin Shuttle is very small, it carries far more cargo than most ships its size, making it very useful for short trading trips.
Crew
The crew configuration of a Battle Dolphin depends largely on whether the ship's owner can afford a second helm for the Dolphin Shuttle. If not, then a single major helm is used for both ships, and is mounted on the Shuttle. The Dolphin Shuttle becomes the bridge for the entire ship, and holds the command officers. If two helms are used, the Battle Dolphin bridge and officers are found on the officers' deck, necessitating a second crew for the Dolphin Shuttle. Typically in this configuration the first mate will serve as the commanding officer for the Dolphin Shuttle. The Battle Dolphin can operate with a surprisingly small crew for a ship its size, leaving room for a significant number of passengers or boarding troops, depending on the ship's use. While most Battle Dolphins are operated by human crews, the Imperial Elven Navy has deemed the ship suitable for elven use. Elven crews are arranged along strict military lines, and will always include a 2nd helm for the Dolphin Shuttle.
Ship Uses
Trader:
The Battle Dolphin, despite the name, was actually designed to serve as a trade vessel. The main ship can carry large cargos between space ports, while the Dolphin Shuttle allows for easy trade with groundlings. The Battle Dolphin is an unpopular target for pirate attacks, since the ship is capable of defending itself adequately in ship-to-ship combat, and since it frequently carries large numbers of mariners. The enclosed nature of the ship makes it impossible for even a sharp-eyed, experienced lookout to guess at how many warriors may be on board.
Warship:
The versatility of the Battle Dolphin has made it a popular addition to many navies. While it is not as hard-hitting as the more common Hammership, it can still be highly effective in battle. Most importantly, a Battle Dolphin serves as an excellent support vessel while still being capable of defending itself, making an escort unnecessary. In a fleet, Battle Dolphins will most frequently serve either as supply ships, or as troop transports. Some Military Battle Dolphins use Dolphin Shuttles that have been armed, typically with either a single medium catapult or ballista, in order to provide more versatility in combat. Elven Battle Dolphins usually carry several Flitters in addition to the Dolphin Shuttle, using the rear balcony as a docking area.
Adventurer's Ship:
The versatility of the Battle Dolphin, along with the low crew requirements, makes the vessel popular with adventurers and other small parties. The ability of the Dolphin Shuttle to land on worlds without attracting attention is the primary attraction of this craft, however, since adventurers often have missions which require subtlety. At the same time, the powerful Battle Dolphin in orbit provides the firepower that is needed if subtlety fails. Most adventurers operate Battle Dolphins with fairly small crews, typically made up of the adventuring party itself, along with a few trusted retainers.
Other Configurations
Narwhal:
Since the Battle Dolphin is still a new ship, few other configurations have become common (although owners often change the weaponry to suit their needs). The exception to this is the Narwhal. The Narwhal adds a piercing ram attached to the forward bridge, removing the windows in the process. These ships tend to be used solely as warships, and often include extra weaponry. Narwhals can be truly deadly ships, and have quickly gained a dangerous reputation.
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ARMADA (ELVEN/ELVISH)
The Armada is a spelljamming ship built and used by Astral Elves.
Description
The largest of the elven ships (aside from the unconfirmed rumours of dreadnoughts made from starfly plant mother-trees), the Armada is reserved exclusively for the use of the Elven Imperial Navy, and individual elven nations. Possession of an Armada by other races or factions is punishable by death at the hands of the Imperial Elven Navy, both for the user and the individuals who provided the craft. The Elven Armada is built along a butterfly-like body created from the magically-modified fruit of the starfly plant, but the wings are straightened and strengthened such that the upper surfaces form a landing surface for Flitters. A typical Armada will carry a total of 40 Flitters, 5 of which have magical helms, and the rest of which are de-powered. This is possible because Elves only use major helms of the most powerful sort (those capable of moving up to 140 tons) on their Armadas.
Crew
The Armada, moreso even than any other elven ship, has a rigid, military crew and a strong chain of command. Since an Armada is often the heart of naval operations, commanding a number of lesser vessels, it is likely to carry more high-ranking officers than a Man-o-War. An Armada typically carries a full crew of 200 elves, which is enough to man the ship, operate all of the weapons, and provide pilots and archers for the Flitters the Armada carries. This overloading of crew is possible because an Armada carries extensive gardens that both freshen the air envelope, and provide fresh fruits and vegetables on long voyages. In addition, Armadas always carry large numbers of mages and priests who are able to magically refresh the air envelope through various spells.
Ship Uses
Military:
The chief use of the Armada is as a base for large military actions against other factions, races, or planets. Their heavy firepower and their use of large numbers of Flitters makes them a dangerous weapon. The Flitters carried by an Armada are used as messengers, landing craft, and fighters, carrying archers and mages to target enemy weapon emplacements and crew. The heart of an Armada's operation is in the forward bridge, located in the "head" of the butterfly. This is the location of the helm and the captain's station. An auxiliary bridge is located in the tail of the craft, just forward of the jettisons. This auxiliary bridge is equipped with a full set of charts and a second major helm (this second helm is often not as powerful as the primary, and an Armada forced to use it may need to abandon some or all of its Flitters). The Armada is the backbone of the elven fleet and often serves as the heart of military operations. A standard fleet may contain a single Armada, or 10 or more acting in unison, supported by a fleet of Men-o-War and hundreds of Flitters.
Other Configurations
Command Post:
The flagship of a particular elven fleet will be an Armada that has been modified to serve as a command post. These ships have command fortresses built on their backs, which house the fleet admiral and his command staff. These citadels are used both as military centres and as quarters for entertaining important allies, or for negotiating with surrendering fleets. These command posts add 20 tons to the size of the Armada (increasing hull points accordingly, and adding 10 tons of cargo space, but otherwise leaving the vessel's statistics unchanged), which reduces the number of Flitters that the ship can carry.
Wild Armadas:
Armadas are normally not abandoned, given the length of time it takes to grow one, and their long lifespans. The elven nations would rather destroy this type of ship than let it fall into another race's hands. Should an abandoned, overgrown Armada be found despite this, its AR would be 9 and its MC would be E. This can be corrected with proper pruning and repairs equal to half the hull points of the ship.
Gypsy Moth:
Drow operating in wildspace are rare, and in recent decades have begun to operate their own custom-made spacecraft; however, long before their presence in space was confirmed, there were rumours of one or more so-called Gypsy Moth Armadas. The Gypsy Moth is a purplish Armada with a huge dome where the command post would be, in order to filter out light that would be painful for the Drow, giving the ship the appearance of a bloated hunchback. These rumours have recently been confirmed, although it is unknown if the Gypsy Moth is unique. It is unknown how the drow obtained the Gypsy Moth (or possibly Gypsy Moths) from the Imperial Elven Navy; however, it seems unlikely that any new Armadas modified in this fashion will appear in space, since the Drow now have their own Jade Spider Commandships that suit their needs better. The Imperial Elven Navy has organized several expeditions to hunt down and destroy the Gypsy Moth, but the wily Drow crew has so far evaded their more numerous cousins.
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FLITTER (ELVEN/ELVISH)
The Flitter is a spelljamming ship built and used by Astral Elves.
Description
One of the smallest standard ships in space, the Flitter is also 1 of the most common. The small butterfly-like craft is grown, like many other elven ships, from the fruit of the starfly plant. The process for growing living ships from this plant remains 1 of the most closely-guarded secrets of the elves. Like many other elven craft, Flitters continue to grow and must be maintained. This maintenance consists of periodic pruning to keep the craft from becoming overgrown and unwieldy (see the Wild Flitter listed below). While any serious damage to the fragile Flitter will destroy it (killing the ship in the process), minor damage will heal in time. This healing can be accelerated by grafting in pieces of wood. The "wings" of the Flitter are as flexible as the petals of a flower, unlike most other elven-grown ships, which typically have wings whose flexibility is more similar to that of a young sapling. This allows the wings to be furled up, so that other ships can carry Flitters in relatively compact spaces. This also provides the motive force for Flitters which lack spelljamming helms. A Flitter without a helm can travel at SR 2 by flapping its wings in a distinctive rippling motion (it is this motion which gives the Flitter its name). The movement of the wings is organic, and is impossible in a craft which has died, or which is overgrown (the wings of an overgrown craft become too brittle to withstand such motion). The living ship has been magically modified by the elves during growth to respond to pressure in certain areas within the body of the craft, such that a pilot need only apply pressure in the appropriate places to encourage the Flitter to fly. Of course, achieving spelljammer speeds without a helm is not possible, making a depowered Flitter useful only for short distance travel. The same mechanism is used to maneuver the ship even when it is powered by a spelljamming helm. Flitters that were grown before the 1st Unhuman War did not have the innovation of these organically-controlled wings, and instead had the somewhat more rigid wings common to other elven craft. See below for details of these archaic Flitters. The Flitter is designed to be handled by a single passenger/captain/helmsman who sits just ahead of the wings in the "head" of the ship. Given its small size and delicate construction, the Flitter is not recommended for long trips. Traveling in a Flitter has been compared to riding a tireless horse for several days - you get where you're going, but not very comfortably. The Flitter has insufficient interior space for any significant cargo, and will typically only carry the personal gear of the pilot, along with food and water. The ship is not designed to carry any large weapons, and cannot be easily modified for that purpose.
Crew
As discussed above, a Flitter typically carries only a single individual. For short-range purposes, however, a Flitter will often carry 1 or more passengers in addition to the pilot. This is usually only done for trips that are expected to last for a few hours at most. Flitters used as fighters will usually carry a pilot and a single passenger who will either be an expert with a Longbow, or a Mage. The passenger serves as the Flitter's weaponry.
Ship Uses
Messenger:
When equipped with a spelljamming helm, a Flitter is best at carrying very light goods over short-to-mid-range interstellar distances. Since the lightest good to carry is information, Flitters with spelljamming helms most often serve as messengers between elven ships and bases. These missions can be dangerous for the messengers, called "lone riders" in the elven tongue.
Scout:
The scout is the next most common usage of Flitters equipped with spelljamming helms. The Flitter's small size makes it an excellent reconnaissance and espionage ship, capable of slipping into small areas and making planetfall.
Landing Craft:
Many Flitters are carried by larger elven ships and used as landing craft. These Flitters are depowered, as described above. In this configuration, the Flitter is useless for long voyages, but suitable for short hops into and out of an atmosphere, or between ships. This is in keeping with the standard policy of the Imperial Elven Navy which does not allow ships equipped with spelljamming helms to make planetfall.
Small Fighters:
A large number of Flitters, perhaps the majority, are used as small fighter-craft. These ships are depowered, and are carried by larger elven vessels, especially Armadas and Men-o-War. In this use, the Flitters are intended to soften up the enemy before the main attack, by peppering the target with arrows and spells.
Other Configurations
Archaic Flitters:
As mentioned above, Archaic Flitters grown before the 1st Unhuman War used more rigid wings than those of modern Flitters. These Flitters could not have their wings furled in the manner of modern Flitters, with the result that far fewer Flitters could be carried by a mother ship, since a single Archaic Flitter takes up a great deal of storage space. Prior to the invention of the Modern Flitter, each Elven ship would typically carry only between 1 & 5 Flitters. The lack of flexible, organically-controlled wings also meant that Archaic Flitters could not fly under their own power. Most Archaic Flitters were powered by full-blown spelljamming helms, or by an engine powered by a combustible variety of sap. Such engines provided the Ancient Flitters with SR 1, and could only power the ship for a maximum of 2 hours before the ship would run out of sap for fuel (assuming that all of the ship's meager cargo space is filled with the sap). Archaic Flitters equipped with these engines were vulnerable to fire in the same manner as a ship carrying a greek fire projector. For obvious reasons, the engines of these Archaic Flitters were less than ideal, and the improvements in the design of the Modern Flitter are seen as 1 of the reasons why the elves won the 1st Unhuman War. Since the natural lifespan of a Flitter can easily exceed a millennium, a few Archaic Flitters can still be found in space, although most have been destroyed over the centuries. The few Archaic Flitters still used by the Imperial Elven Navy are equipped with spelljamming helms and used as messengers or scouts, tasks which they perform as well as any Modern Flitter.
Wild Flitters:
It is not uncommon to encounter an Abandoned Flitter drifting in virtually any area of wildspace or The Flow. These ships are usually the result of failed missions, undelivered messages, and old battles. Without regular maintenance, these ships are seriously overgrown, their wings curled in on themselves like seashells. Such ships may have workable engines within, and are MC E and AR 9 until properly trimmed back (repair costs equivalent to refitting half the hull). A wild, Overgrown Flitter must be trimmed back before it can be flown without a helm.
Firewinds:
This type of Depowered Flitter has not been used since the 1st Unhuman War, although with the advent of the 2nd Unhuman War the Admiralty is considering using it once more. The Firewind is a suicide craft, loaded with flammables and piloted to crash on enemy decks. Each Firewind used in this manner has the effect of 2 hits from a greek fire projector, in addition to normal crash damage. The pilots are trained to bail out before impact, and are given a method to escape if possible (a potion of flying, a dimension door spell, a gadabout, etc). Near the end of the 1st Unhuman War, the elves used charmed Goblinkin as pilots. Most Firewinds were Flitters of the archaic variety, which were already obsolete at the time, and were usually packed to the gills with combustible sap already. In fact, the practice arose after several accidents with the obsolete Flitters, which caused impressive amounts of damage.
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MAN-O-WAR (ELVEN/ELVISH)
The Man-O-War is a spelljamming ship built and used by astral elves.
Description
Built on the largest grown hull commonly available in space, the Elvish Man-O-War is an extremely versatile craft. Its basic design is derived from the much smaller Elvish Cutter, but the Man-O-War is a much sturdier and heavily armed warship. The ship follows the same basic forms of all elvish ships; a titanic butterfly in space. In its basic form, the Man-O-War is a far-ranging warship. Its weapons are distributed throughout the craft for advantageous firing positions and to prevent a single mass damage spell from disabling them all. The "head" of the craft serves, like on the Cutter, as a weapons pit for 2 medium ballista. Unlike the cutter, the head is much bigger and there is room for a medium catapult on top. This catapult does not take up the entire space, as elvish archers like to use the forward deck as the prime position for them to rain down their deadly arrows on enemy ships. Behind the catapult is the bridge, where the captain commands the ship. He communicates with the rest of the ship via voice tubes (sometimes magical). The spelljamming helm is located here as well, reducing risks of miscommunication between the captain and the helmsman. Above the bridge is another catapult, protected in a turret. Behind the bridge is a massive open space, capped by a hemispherical glass ceiling. This space was purposely added by elvish designers to make the craft one of the most versatile in wildspace. It is easily modifiable, and can be changed to suit the needs of the ship's owner or the mission. At times, it serves as a garden, a barracks, a cargo bay, or a hanger. Ships that have fallen into other races' hands have a variety of other uses for this space as well. Beyond this space is the quarters of the captain and their officers. Their quarters are the most spacious and of the best quality on the ship. Above the officer quarters is the flight deck, which serves as landing platform for Flitters of the Navy. The rear section of the flight deck is another weapons platform for 2 more medium ballistae. The main deck, below the Command Deck, is the largest section of the craft. The quarters of the sailors, marines, and the weapon teams are all located on this deck. Guest quarters and even a brig are also located on this deck. The lowest deck, with an opposite gravity plane than the upper decks, is the observation deck. The galley, mess hall, and special rooms for mages are all part of this deck. Some ships have libraries and magical labs for onboard mages, while others convert the space into quarters for priests.
Crew
An Elvish Man-O-War needs surprisingly few men to fly or fight. A mere dozen sailors are needed to keep the vast wings of the craft under control. Another 20 elves are needed to man all the weapons, leaving almost 30 elvish marines & archers to conduct boarding operations and man archery nests. The captain, the helmsman, the ship's primary mage, and at least 4 guards will always be located on the bride. Archers will be located on the forecastle and the flight deck. Marines pretty much roam the rest of the ship, filling in for those who fall in battle and stand ready for boarding actions.
Ship's Uses
Patrol:
One of the primary purposes of the Man-O-War is as a deep range patrol ship. The elves have special configuration for this type of mission. The multi-purpose space behind the bridge is converted into a massive garden. This garden, lit by magical lights and watered by magical spells, is large enough to freshen the entire air envelope. In this fashion the craft can remain in deep space for as long as the food & water holds out. Some craft equipped with magical items can remain in space for years at a time. This is the type of craft most often encountered by ships of other races/species in wildspace. It is also the most common warship of the fleet.
Light Carrier:
This type of ship is not commonly seen these days. The Armada has replaced most of these craft, but they are still seen in some crystal spheres. To fill this role, the multi-purpose space is converted into a hanger for 2 Flitters, with another 2 Flitters able to attach on the roof of the hanger. To launch, there is a large set of doors set in the side of the ship. A Flitter is attached on top of each wing, and another Flitter is hung underneath each wing. One last Flitter is docked on the flight deck. In total, this ship is capable of launching a squad of 9 Flitters. This type of ship is most commonly used to support command ships and is most often found in larger fleets. Typically, 1-4 of these ships will be found in the larger fleets.
Troop Carrier:
Sometimes the Fleet will have need to transport a large number of troops over a long distance. The Patrol-configured Man-O-War is especially good for this, as the interior garden provides enough air for almost 200 people. Typically, a troop carrier will have a full crew in addition to 50-to-150 additional troops. Parts of the ship may be converted into barracks to house so many men. However, with the need for air eliminated, the elves can transport the troops farther and faster than fleets using more conventional ships. These ships are either converted to make landings or have a number of flitters onboard (attached to the wings) to deploy troops.
Trader/Cargo Hauler:
The most common non-military craft the elves use, a Trader Man-O-War most often converts the garden into a 2nd cargo hold. This gives them an additional 12 tons of cargo space. This modification is most commonly seen on in-system traders; most flow-running traders forgo the additional cargo space for the advantages of the large garden. The Fleet sometimes uses this configuration of Man-O-War to support their larger fleets.
Command Craft:
In the days before the Elvish Armada, this craft was a common sight. They served as flagships for virtually every fleet the elves had. However, recently, they were replaced by the Armada. Most were converted into deep patrol craft, while others were mothballed. They are now found in spheres without a large elvish presence (such as spheres without any resident elves). These ships will serve as flag for a small fleet of 2-5 elvish cutters. For this duty, the Man-O-War's hull is strengthened to hold a pair of towers (located over the gardens). The 1st tower is 2 stories tall, and serves as a Turret for an additional medium ballista. The 2 levels below the ballista serve as barracks and an armory. The 2nd tower, over 3 1/2 stories tall, is the office & private chambers for the admiral assigned to the craft. The tower also holds a room for their personal aide and secretary.
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VODONI DIAMOND
The Imperial War Galley (also known as the Vodoni Diamond) is a unique spelljamming ship built by the Zalani and used by the Vodoni.
Description
This enormous vessel's opaque, gem-like structure is comprised of huge hollowed out crystals. The bridge is located in the uppermost crystal, while the crystals located at the cardinal points serve other functions. The large base crystal is used as a storeroom for Emperor Vulkaran’s treasury.
Crew
The Imperial War Galley is commanded by the Emperor Vulkaran, who uses an artifact known as the Eye of the Gods to power the vessel which is embedded in a helm carved from the finest marble, known as the Throne of the Gods. Vulkaran is usually accompanied by his Court Sorceress, Mongrelle, and his bodyguard of 30 Imperial Conquerors.
Ship Uses
This unique vessel, designated the Imperial War Galley of the Vodoni fleet, was never intended for combat, but is rather a huge luxury transport; very fast, well-armored, but with little or no weaponry. It does possess an upper crystal that serves as a very dangerous ram in emergency situations.
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HAMMERSHIP
The Hammership is a spelljamming ship built by humans and lizardfolk and used by various spacefaring races.
Description
Another standard human ship of space, the Hammership is large and powerful, capable of withstanding large amounts of punishment, and dealing out a significant amount with its blunt ram and heavy weapons. If the Squid Ship is the medium warship of space, this is the heavy galleon. Hammerships are found, with minor modifications to their design, throughout known space. The Hammership's design has been relatively unchanged, such that hulks hundreds of years old resemble those under construction in modern dry docks. Even the Illithids and the Elves, with their own distinctive ships, use the Hammership design for workhorse and supply situations.
Crew
The "brains" of the Hammership are in the heavily protected forward section. Both the helm and the bridge are located in this section, behind the massive bulwarks and the blunt ram. Often this area is plated with heavy metals, ivory, or bone to provide extra strength. The lenses of the Hammership's "eyes" are often made of paneless glass, but in some (more expensive) versions are constructed of glassteel. The captain usually operates from a base behind these windows, commanding both the ship and the forward weapons placements, while the first officer is usually stationed at the rear catapult.
Ship Uses
Trading:
A Hammership requires a larger crew than the more common Squid Ships or Tradesmen, but it can carry more cargo, and is a daunting vessel for a pirate to attack. This makes it ideal for carrying large bulk cargos. Such ships frequently run on a minimum crew, unless they are passing through a contested area of space, in which case the captain will usually take on a full crew, including whatever battle wizards and priests he can hire. Some mind flayers use Hammerships as free traders, unaligned to any Illithid faction or house. This is particularly common in those areas of space where Nautiloids are frequently fired-upon on sight. The eyes of Hammerships controlled by mind flayers are usually covered over with steel plates.
Piracy:
Though not commonly used as a pirate vessel, the Hammership is the favorite craft of some of the most stylish and brazen pirates and privateers in known space, including the legendary Bloodjack of Realmspace. His Hammership is dyed in shades of red, supposedly representing the blood he and his ship, the Lucky Victory, have spilled over a career spanning a decade. The size of a Hammership makes it ideal for prolonged battles - just the sort of conflict Bloodjack seems to revel in. Most pirates and privateers, however, prefer smaller swifter ships which will allow them to board an enemy as quickly as possible, thus avoiding a long space battle.
Military:
The Hammership is a common armada craft, capable of hauling many men across space, and returning with supplies to support an invasion. For intra-sphere uses, such craft frequently carry up to 200 soldiers (including the crew), although this is obviously not possible for longer voyages unless magic is used to keep the air envelope fresh and the crew provisioned. Hammerships can be considered to be the standard heavy warship of most human nations.
Elven Support Ship:
Hammerships are sometimes used by the Imperial Elven Navy, primarily as supply and troop ships. The Hammership's bulk and heavy handling (compared to most elven craft) make it unsuitable for the elven style of space combat, relegating it to the role of support ship. Hammerships which the elves believe may see combat may be stripped, reducing AR to 8 but increasing MC to C. Topping out is not a popular option, since the elves prefer to operate their Hammerships with as few trained sailors as possible, instead sending such trained elves to the more important Men-o-War and Armadas which make up the main elven battle line. Troop ships, however, may be topped out.
Other Configurations
Multiple Turrets:
Some versions of the Hammership mount extra turrets for large weapons (ballistas or catapults depending on the tastes of the owner). A typical configuration will include 2 extra turrets on the main deck. Some versions will remove the overhead hatch of the cargo hold in order to place a 3rd turret, instead using newly-built side hatches for access to the cargo bay. This makes the ship leaky and dangerous to land on water. Such ships may even place 1 or more turrets on the underside of the ship, making a landing of any sort impossible. These heavily-armed vessels are typically only used by military forces for relatively short-range work, since they are extremely deadly, but cargo space drops dramatically (as well as operational flexibility for those no longer able to land safely).
Lizard Man Vessels:
Hammerships operated by lizardfolk will typically have the ship's central deck flooded to provide a relaxation area for the crew. This also serves as a fire-control mechanism for the ship, which will frequently see bombards used in place of the catapults, and a fire projector in place of the ballista. Unfortunately for the lizardfolk, this fire control mechanism is frequently unsuccessful, since any powder stores must be kept dry to remain useful, and if a spark ignites nearby, there is often not enough time to fetch water from the central deck before the stores explode.
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TRIOP
The Triop is a spelljamming ship built by the Arcane/Mercane and used by various spacefaring races.
Description
The Triop is a relatively new ship to the crystal spheres, but it has proven to be an opponent even the elven captains do not wish to engage. Its hard, chitinous shell is extremely difficult to penetrate. The ship has a few small open decks, but the weapons that protrude from these openings limit the amount of walking space. The maneuvering fins of the Triop, often known as 'flip-fins', are capable of extremely rapid movements, which give the Triops some unique maneuvering characteristics. First, these fins can be rapidly jerked in order to increase or decrease the Triop's SR (even above the normal maximum allowed based on the helmsman) by 2 points for a single round. This ability can be used once every 4 rounds, and can only be safely used on a round in which the Triop travels in a straight line. If any attempt is made to turn in the same round that the SR is increased or decreased in this manner, the stresses will cause the Triop to spin wildly out of control, causing the vessel to face a random direction, and suffer both a Ship Shaken and Maneuverability Loss critical hit, as the Triop's fins are damaged. A Triop can also manipulate its fins to spin and face any direction, but only at the expense of 2 SR points. Only 1 of these 2 special maneuvers can be performed in any single 4-round period. If an attempt is made to make a second maneuver before the fins have properly recovered from a previous maneuver, then the fins will be damaged with an automatic Maneuverability Loss critical hit. It should be noted that a Maneuverability Loss critical hit from any source will damage the fins, preventing the Triop from performing any special maneuvers until the vessel is repaired. The Triop's blunt ram is not a separate structure like most rams, but is instead made up of the entire frontal carapace of the vessel. This not only gives the ship a 45' wide ram, but it also braces the ship so well, and makes the ram so sturdy that it effectively acts as a bumper. This effectively reduces by 50% any damage that the Triop might otherwise suffer while inflicting a ram attack on an enemy ship.
Crew
Since the Arcane/Mercane sell Triops to many different races, the crew of the ship naturally varies greatly. Gnolls, Goblins, and their kin tend to operate Triops with large crews which approach the maximum that can be safely supported by the air envelope. These crews are organized along standard tribal lines, with the females and children performing maintenance and housekeeping duties, the shamans performing as spelljammers (on those ships equipped with major or minor helms), and with the male warriors operating the ship and weapons, and fighting in any boarding actions. An Illithid crew will be organized along the same lines as the crew of a Nautiloid; however such a ship will typically be equipped with a lifejammer helm rather than a series helm, and as a result more slaves will be carried to power the helm. Human crews tend to be heavy on warriors, but otherwise are very variable in organization.
Ship Uses
Military:
Most Triops operated by humans can be found serving in militaries. These vessels are used in the role of medium or heavy warships. While their ranged weaponry is relatively light, their maneuverability and powerful rams make up for this in the eyes of many commanders.
Reaver:
Triops operated by Goblins, Gnolls, or related species serve as reavers, attacking any ships that they think they can take on, and plundering wherever possible. These ships are usually clanships, carrying females and children as well as warriors. Typical tactics include using the Triop's unique maneuverability to make sudden, devastating ram attacks, smashing a target to pieces. Once the target has broken up, the reavers salvage whatever they can from the debris, including slaves. Some human pirates operate Triops in a similar fashion, but this is uncommon, since human pirates tend to prefer to use vessels that allow them to take prizes intact.
Slaver:
Illithid crews use Triops because the enclosed nature of the craft appeals greatly to their natures. When using a Triop, Illithids are not usually actively hunting for more slaves, but are rather securely transporting slaves (thralls) from one location to another; often taking slaves to be sold, or returning to an illithid base after purchasing new slaves.
Other Configurations
Heavy Weapons:
The only common modification of the Triop that has yet appeared is a Heavy Weapons Triop. This ship simply replaces the light ballistas and catapults with heavy versions. This ship loses 12 tons of cargo capacity, but its heavy attack capability takes many by surprise.
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WHALE SHIP
The Whaleship is a spelljamming ship built and used by humans.
Description
As long as the Hammership, but much taller, with a large number of enclosed decks and a heavy, armoured, blunt ram in the front, the whale looks like the sea mammal it is named after, a huge sperm whale. It is not known for being graceful, only big. It is a perfect hauler of large bulk freight and passengers. Its lack of maneuverability and weaponry generally makes it ineffective as a combat craft, but Whales have been used in that capacity in the past. Their greatest advantage is that all of their considerable tonnage is enclosed.
Crew
In addition to the helmsman & captain, the crew of a Whale consists of oarsmen who man the ship's flippers. Those Whales used as passenger ships usually have these crewmen serving double duty as pursers, cooks, and servants to those on board. It is rare for the crew of a Whale-Ship to number more than 20-25, since this allows a large number of passengers to be carried. Even Whales being used as pure cargo haulers will not usually carry more than this minimal crew. Standard liners will usually be equipped to carry 60-80 passengers, while Whales used as troop transports will be outfitted to carry 100-400 troops.
Ship Uses
Passenger Liner:
The Whale-Ship was designed as a large hauler, and it performs extremely well when the cargo that it is hauling is passengers. The quality of these liners is usually fairly high, since it is an expensive ship to begin with, so most owners tend not to scrimp too much on amenities. Most Whale-Ships used as liners are roughly equivalent in comfort to an above-average inn, but some have become famous for their shear opulence. The most luxurious of these liners tend to carry only 20-40 passengers, but charge 10-20 times what most luxury services would charge. Those few Whale liners which do not pay much attention to comfort tend to be cut-rate vessels which cram as many passengers aboard as possible. There are a number of different firms using Whales as liners throughout the known crystal spheres, ranging from one-ship operations to massive lines. 1 of the most successful is the Pandros Line out of Theiaspace, which is run by a female halfling named Calia Thornbow. Others include Brilliant Night Tours, Fraldathiagn Haulers, and Meer, Dostrol, Hampstad, and Klatchkapper, Ltd.
Bulk Hauler:
Almost as frequently as they are used as passenger liners, Whale-Ships can be found serving as bulk cargo haulers. These large ships are 1 of the few economical ways of transporting quantities of low-value goods, such as grain, cloth, or timber, and those with powerful enough helms will frequently tow 1 or more cargo barges for further economy. Most Whale-Ships used as bulk haulers will have regular shipping runs, often supplying asteroid bases & cities with needed goods on a contract. A Whale Ship being used as a speculative free trader is virtually unheard of. A Whale Bulk Hauler will frequently carry passengers for a minimal fee, but unlike their liner brethren, they tend to offer no amenities for the passengers beyond a berth. Often such passengers will be expected to supply their own food & drink.
Military Support:
A significant number of military organizations use Whale-Ships as heavy support craft, typically hauling large numbers of troops & supplies simultaneously. These ships are spartan & utilitarian, and are most commonly seen in invasion fleets. Since a Whale-Ship used in this role will typically be carrying 2-4 times as many men as its air envelope can safely support, magical means of refreshing the air envelope are highly recommended for all but the shortest of voyages (Fog Cloud spells are the most commonly-used method). Even when used as a military vessel, a Whale-Ship usually stays out of combat, since it carries little weaponry. Sometimes, however, a Whale-Ship will be used to break up enemy formations by simply ramming the largest enemy craft, allowing allied combat ships to mop up the other enemy ships. Since a Whale-Ship is able to simply plow through most small & medium ships, as well as cause massive damage to larger ships, this can be an effective tactic.
Illithid Crew:
In areas in which standard Mindflayer ships tend to be attacked on sight, the Whale-Ship has become a popular ship for the Illithids. The enclosed vessel appeals to Illithid sensibilities, although its lack of weaponry tends to limit it to peaceful applications. Such ships will be powered by a pool helm, and will typically operate in such a manner that passers-by will never realize that the Whale-Ship is not manned by humans.
Other Configurations
Killer Whale:
In this version of the Whale-Ship, large portions of the observation deck are cut away to transform it into a weapons deck. While this section of the ship then becomes vulnerable to attack (reduce AR to 6), this allows as many as a dozen large weapons to be mounted, typically a mix of medium and heavy ballistas and catapults. The cargo space of a Killer Whale is reduced depending on what weapons are carried. As yet the Killer Whale is an uncommon, but deadly warship. There are rumours that a pirate Killer Whale exists, operated by a mixed crew of humans & illusionist gnomes. This ship uses illusions of solid walls to make it appear as a standard Whale-Ship until it attacks its unsuspecting victims. The crew of this ship seems to have a great hatred for tinker gnomes, and attacks them in preference to other targets.
Glass Whale:
This variant of the Whale-Ship is simply an opulent liner in which the heavily armoured bow has been made clear using Glassteel spells to provide a "window on wildspace" for the passengers. The Arnazdo Operation (Milo Arnazdo, proprietor) uses Glass Whales as the symbol of their passenger service, and backs up the fragile-looking (but actually very sturdy) ships by stationing powerful wizards on board.
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